Hello! Sorry for a while, it’s been pretttttty hectic to say the least. Exciting but hectic work wise but I’m looking forward to a bank holiday to sit back and relax and enjoy some time with my favourite people. Last weekend was the royal wedding and the cup, so we watched both, enjoyed the sun and had a BBQ. Sunday I walked into town with my boyfriend Rob and had a drink in the sunshine and some lunch. We then went home and spent the rest of the day relaxing in the garden. Monday was back to work, stressful work as its been warm all week, I had another big order to make and the kitchen was very hot so my chocolate wasn’t setting and if it was setting, it wouldn’t be setting correctly and getting the shine we want. So yeah, early mornings and late nights were the answer. I’ve also been catching up on emails, admin and orders. Planning events and summer ranges and catching up with my current stockists. I’ve been spending lots of time with my friends and family in the evenings. Monday with my boyfriend, Tuesday dog walk with my friend Kitty, Wednesday sushi and shopping with my Dad, Today chilling in the sun with Rob, Tomorrow drinks with Jordan (my mate, not me) and then Saturday is another big game, so off to the pub we go. Other than that no plans for the weekend but Monday we’re off to the wildlife park for the day with Rob and my Mum. So yeah, thats my week! I’m ready to enjoy my weekend as I’ve got two new stockists this week and another one coming soon so its been super busy and draining but also super exciting!!! Can’t wait to reveal them all and reach more people with my range!

Today I’m sharing a super incredible smoothie, great to start off the bank holiday weekend with a bang! Can’t go wrong with raspberry and peanut butter!

Enjoy x

Ingredients – serves one

​

Smoothie –

​

Peanut –

​

1 small ripe banana

2 tbsp peanut butter

a handful of ice

​

Raspberry –

​

1 small ripe banana

130g frozen raspberries

100g coconut kefir/yoghurt of choice

​

Toppings –

​

1 tbsp peanut butter

1 – 2 tbsp toasted coconut flakes

1 tsp cacao nibs

Method

Start by blending the peanut layer in a high speed blender until silky smooth.

Pour into a large glass jar.

Now blend the raspberry layer in the same blender until silk smooth and pour/scoop over the top of the peanut layer.

Time to talk food. I think I originally had this with chicken but we only had so much so I searched the freezer for a different option and found some good old sausages. Fried simply and then paired with the quinoa and sauerkraut. Ummmmummm! The toasted seeds take it to a whole new level so don’t do a me, eat the whole meal and realise after that, they’re still just chilling on the side in the pan…

Ingredients – serves four

​

Quinoa –

​

200g quinoa

boiling water

200g tendersteam broccoli, chopped

​

1 pomegranate, deseeded

1 lemon zested and juiced

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

​

avocado, diced

​

Sausages –

​

8 97% or higher meat sausages, cut into four

​

To serve –

​

0.5 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds

0.5 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds

​

Sauerkraut

Method

​

Boil the quinoa and broccoli in double the volume of water for 20 minutes or until soft and all the water has been absorbed.

Stir theough the pomegranate, lemon, oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Turn off the heat.

​

Fry the cut sausages in a frying pan over a high heat until golden and cooked through.

​

Stir the avocado through the quinoa mix and then divide the quinoa between four bowls.

Morning! So I’m sorry my posts have been a bit short and not too much time put into them! I’ve been super busy with Leitchy Creates making chocolates for events, stockists, big orders and trying to get my name in more places. I’ve also been redesigning my packing which is super exciting, really interesting and such a learning curve too. I can’t wait to see the results and share it with you too. So anyway I’ve decided to do one post a week, that I can dedicate more time too, make it super informative and special as I’m now a busy chocolate bee! I want to be able to share good content and really enjoy writing it, rather than rushing it to post it at a certain time and it looking rough and well, boring. I hope you understand that this is the best way for me right now and also prefer that I can have a good old natter, fill you in and tell you more about the recipe too.

So This week has been busy. Saturday I actually took the day off to chill in my garden in the sun and listening to my super chilled summer playlist. It was lush. Then we got an early night because Sunday we got up early as I was standing at a stall all day at Sharrow Vale market selling my chocolates. We got up early, packed up the car, unpacked the car and then waited for my boyfriend and his family to arrive so that we could assemble the gazebo (it was a five person job with lots and lots of tape). We were all set up by 10.30am and stayed all day until 5pm. It went really well and It was so lovely to see familiar faces, returning customers and my friends coming to support too. That night I made a batch of peanut praline bars and then just chilled. Monday we were up early again as we were off to a funeral, drop of chocolates at my stockist in Halifax and pick up ingredients from one of my wholesalers in Sheffield. We then got back, I made more peanut praline bars and also stocked back up on my lemon truffle bars.

Tuesday was a long day of chocolate making, I think I was stood for 6 hours solid, enrobing pralines for Cocoa Wonderland in Sheffield. I boxed them all up and delivered them straight away so I could get on with admin and then spend the evening chilling with my boyfriend. Wednesday was pretty similar to be honest, plus a lot of admin and also chilling with my boyfriend. Sorry if this is very same old this week ha! It’s not been as interesting as last as the sun was about, so I saw more people and did more things! Well anyway today was a little more eventful. I got up early, super early and went to the gym, got home quick change, smoothie bowl and then up and out the door to Hale near Manchester for a stockist meeting in the most gorgeous and delicious cafe. We dropped off the samples and then decided to stay for lunch for a little break after all the driving. I enjoyed a chai latte and then the garden breakfast that consisted of poached eggs, garlic mushrooms, spinach, grilled tomatoes, sourdough, home baked beans and the most delicious sweet potato hash brown. My Mum had bacon avocado toast and a latte and then we both shared the blueberry Bakewell slice with ice cream. UmmmUmmm. We then drove back home, I got on with admin, this blog and also emails. Then this evening I’m meeting my boyfriend for tea in town and then I’m back home and packing as tomorrow me and my Dad are off to London to see Harry Potter with an orchestra at the royal Albert hall, lots of good food and a bit of shopping. Then Saturday lunch I head back as I’m going out to celebrate one of my girls birthdays and my brothers home with his girlfriend for the weekend too! I can’t wait, it’s going to be lush!

Right so today I’m sharing a recipe using some of my NEW products in my chocolate range. It’s a chocolate banana bread like oat porridge using maca for a malty taste and hormone balancing properties. Maca is also great as it’s high in antioxidants (as is cacao), nutrients, improves energy and mood. But I use it more for the malty comforting taste more than anything! Topped with a quick strawberry compote, sweet fresh banana, hemp seeds and the best part – my NEW chocolate chunk grain and gluten free granola made with peanut butter and my chopped up chocolate chunks and also my NEW vanilla peanut butter chocolate spread. The granola adds crunch, a nice contrast in texture and the chocolate chunks melt into the porridge bowl for extra chocolate lovers dreaminess and also my chocolate spread slowly melts for gooey, melted chocolate bar like madness. It’s a winner all round. You can find the NEW products on my shop website – LeitchyCreates.

Ingredients – Serves one

Topping –

​

50g frozen strawberries

water

​

Porridge –

​

40g rolled porridge oats

10g oat bran

a pinch of salt

1 tbsp cacao powder

half a banana, mashed

1 tsp maca powder

200ml almond milk

​

Extras –

​

half a banana, sliced

2 tsp chocolate spread

1 tbsp granola

1 tsp hemp seeds

Method

​

Start by frying the frozen strawberries in a small non stick dry pan until golden and slightly charred. Add a few splashes of water and cook until warm and then pour into a bowl.

Place all the porridge ingredients in the pan you just used to fry the strawberries in. Stir over a low to medium heat until thickened.

Pour the porridge into a bowl.

Arrange the banana slices down one side of the porridge bowl and pour the saucy strawberries alongside.